White Reaper is back on tour in support of their album The World’s Best American Band.

We previously saw the Louisville group in 2015 and noted, “I couldn't help but be completely captivated by keyboardist of White Reaper. I don't think there was a second where this guy was standing still. He was all over the stage and it was honestly hard to keep track of him because I wanted to watch everything else going on at the same time. He seemed to be a bit of a goofball and would play the keys with his teeth and lick the bass guitar in between songs. It sounds dumb but it really did add to the fun factor of this show. Like I said, if the band looks like they are having fun, the crowd is more apt to have fun.”

Introducing: Old Red. Their debut song ‘Catalonia Weekend’ is available now.

According to project leader Dashel Hammerstein, “Old Red is a project that began when I found out that my long-lost cousin was a virtuoso jazz guitarist with a recording studio in rural Connecticut. He started producing and engineering new versions of some old songs of mine with the expressed intention of making them weird. We agreed that if it sounded familiar, it wasn’t worth putting out. Sessions were all about more noises, more programmed drums, more hair band guitar solos, mistakes that were fine-tuned into something intentional. Overall I just wanted the music to be more funny.”

“Cut to November and we have a short album worth of songs, all thematically tied together under the umbrella of life in Modern America. ‘Catalonia Weekend’ is in some ways an exception, but the kind that proves the rule. The Spanish Civil War was unglamorous, even by the standards of war. Troops were so low on ammunition and supplies that they would often arm one solider with a megaphone, tasking him with yelling across the battlefield to enemy trenches in an attempt to convince them with words. It actually worked more than one might think. Tie that to Modern America as you see fit.”

“The song itself is unabashedly poppy. Like the rest of the album, I’ve tried to strip away all but the meaty hooks of the song. Life’s too short.”

Seattle-based The Flavr Blue (fronted by Hollis Wong-Wear, famous for appearing on ‘White Walls’ by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis) recently shared their new remix video for ‘Top Down’ featuring The Last Artful, Dodgr with Hip Hop DX. The video was filmed in Portland and directed by Ikaika Cofer / Tiki.

The Flavr Blue comments, “We got to perform with Dodgr at last year's Upstream Music Festival in Seattle and were totally blown away by her, so it was an honor that she asked us to get on Top Down. When we were finalizing the album, we decided it'd only be right for her to be featured on the LP beyond a one-off remix since she adds such a dope vibe to the record overall.”

If you like what you heard, ‘Top Down’ is taken from their recently released sophomore album Blue Dream.

As announced on news.weheartmusic.com,
The Prince Estate, has created the official Prince’s “Hit N Run” Online Pop-Up Store. The store is only available from November 29 to December 3, 2017.

When Prince died in April 2016, we did notice a ton of unofficial/bootleg Prince T-Shirts and merchandises flooding the market.

Official announcement:

Synonymous with Prince's famous "Hit N Run" releases which dropped without warning or promotion, The Prince Estate has launched a "Hit N Run" online pop-up store. This is the first offering of official and authorized merchandise from The Prince Estate. The collection includes classic pieces highlighting Prince's iconic looks from his debut to the Purple Rain era and more. The capsule includes two graphic pieces from UK artist Martin Homent - the first inspired from Purple Rain and the second a silhouette of Prince’s profile cast on the moon - Prince featured the latter graphic as a stage backdrop during his final Piano & A Microphone performances in early 2016. Notably, Martin’s artwork was also featured on the cover of Prince’s final two albums, HITnRun Phase One and HITnRUN Phase Two. For the first time ever, fans outside of the US and Canada will be able to purchase directly from the site.

The last time we saw Chicago’s Twin Peaks, they played a much bigger venue opening for Cage the Elephant in June 2016. They, of course, jokingly said, “We used to play across the street all the time [referring to their various 7th Street Entry appearances], so we’re not used to this small place.”

Twin Peaks is back in town, this time headlining the 7th Street Entry, and in support of their recent album Down in Heaven (Grand Jury).

Louisiana’s Seratones is back in town to celebrate their debut album Get Gone. We caught the band in May 2016 and wrote, “Though sometimes compared to Alabama Shakes, the band is purposely more rough around the edges, and adds more of a garage punk/blues trait to their music, for the comparisons to run too deep.”

Before I get to Tyrone Wells, I'll have to tell you that his audience, based on that night, they seem to all be college girls. If you don't believe me, just look at the picture that's used on his website
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The upcoming Tony Lucca and Alex Dezen (of The Damnwells) co-headlining “Heads or Tails Tour” (with Christian Lopez) will be taking place at the Triple Rock Social Club, in Minneapolis, this Saturday, October 8th.

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Tony Lucca will then team up with Tyrone Wells on October 21st.

My brother's favorite local band Frankie Teardrop is also listed on the bill... so the chances of him being at this show is high.
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Burger Record's most successful band together PANGEA and Polyvinyl's White Reaper tour just stop by the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis last night.

Frankie Teardrop

The Sunday show started with local group Frankie Teardrop. I have heard of these over and over again but have never gotten a chance to see them. That changed last night and now I have a new favorite local band. They were fun to watch and enjoyable to listen to. They had a very raw, garage band sound that the crowd went wild over.

The four members genuinely looked like they were having fun on stage. Bands that look bored on stage are an automatic turnoff for me. I don't care if there are ten kids or one thousands kids at your show. I want to see people enjoying themselves. Not people that make it look like playing a show is a chore or that look like they would rather be anywhere else other than on the stage.

All of the bands did a great job of entertaining the full house last night. There was so much energy coming from the stage and it really reflected in the crowd. There was no moshing, no hitting, no punching or kicking. There was just a lot of jumping up and down in unison with the members of all of the bands. It's been a while since I have seen a whole crowd jumping at the same time. Sometimes I like to go down in the thick of the crowd and just stand while everyone else jumps around me. It gives you a complete sense of freedom and makes my adrenaline go sky high. Eventually, if you stand there long enough, you can't help but to be caught up in it all and start jumping yourself.

White Reaper

I couldn't help but be completely captivated by keyboardist of White Reaper. I don't think there was a second where this guy was standing still. He was all over the stage and it was honestly hard to keep track of him because I wanted to watch everything else going on at the same time. He seemed to be a bit of a goofball and would play the keys with his teeth and lick the bass guitar in between songs. It sounds dumb but it really did add to the fun factor of this show. Like I said, if the band looks like they are having fun, the crowd is more apt to have fun.

White Reaper recently released a music video for their song "Pills." This song comes off of their debut full length recording entitled White Reaper Does It Again, which was released in July of this year on Polyvinyl Records. They played almost all of the songs off this album. Each song was as catchy as the last. They were fast and upbeat and had you wanting to jump up and down with the rest of the crowd.

Headliner together PANGEA had the same feeling as the other two bands. It was just fun music and people that seemed like they were having the time of their lives. The songs were short and fast. They weren't performed perfectly, but they were performed with heart and that's what counts and what I enjoy. There were jokes being exchanged on stage that made the separation between band and crowd almost non-existent. Even though we were at the 7th Street Entry, it felt like we were just at a house show hanging out with some friends, having some drinks, and listening to some music.

Together PANGEA is on the road promoting their newest EP entitled The Phage EP which was produced by Tommy Stinson of the Replacements and released on Burger Records in October of this year. Not only did they play selections off this EP, they threw in some old songs off their two full length releases dating back to 2010/2011.

All of the bands looked like they were having a great time. The crowd had an amazing time as well. Although it wasn't sold out, there was certainly a good chunk of people at the show. Everyone had a smile on their face and everyone was watching and dancing along to the bands... the way a show should be.

The together PANGEA and White Reaper tour is coming to town this Sunday, November 29th, at the 7th Street Entry.

After opening up for reformed legendary Minneapolis band The Replacements at the Hollywood Palladium, together PANGEA went on a very successful UK tour. They've returned to the US with this upcoming headlining Fall 2015, in support of The Phage EP.
There's no argument that together PANGEA is one of the most successful Burger Records bands.

Opening up the show was Slow Magic. After randomly catching this electronic / tribal / dance / DJ act in 2013, I was excited to see them on the bill. Of course, I knew what to expect: pulse-pounding double floor tom drums
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So so-called "The So Cute! Tour", featuring Slow Magic and Giraffage as co-headliners, will be stopping by the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis this Sunday, November 29th.

Like Daft Punk, Slow Magic hide his face behind a changing light fox mask. He impressed us with his previous appearances with Gold Panda and Hot Chip.

As for Giraffage, the San Francisco kid has become one of the fast rising DJ/producers on the scene, working on the soundtrack for the recent iPhone 6 commercial with Fool's Gold release "Be With You". Recently Carly Rae Jepsen approved his remix of her song "I Really Like You".

The two recently collaborated their song "So Cute!", which you can grab for free at toneden.io.

Special guest Lindsay Lowend to open. Not sure if I like the trend in band naming themselves after celebrities, such as Hoodie Allen, Gnarls Barkley, Joanna Gruesome, Gringo Star/Ringo Deathstarr, and recently, Flint Eastwood.

Full of very energetic, interesting, distinctive-sounding indie rock music; the songs are pretty standard with regards to arrangement, but are so full of vitality that any shortcomings are pretty minor.
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Born Ruffians will be in Minneapolis on November 30th, in support of their new album Ruff. They recently released their single and video for "(Eat Sh**) We Did It". Guitarist and vocalist Luke Lalonde explains, “The song is very reactionary to something kind of sh**** happening and the feeling of getting over it. It doesn't have to be triumph, sometimes you just want to celebrate your ability to continue on in the face of any adversity. I think telling people to "eat sh**" is a really obnoxious thing. It's something you feel more than you actually say out loud. The song was always meant to be a bit funny. I think the video reflects the weird and funny nature of the song.”

Joining them will be Canada's Young Rival. The indie-rock trio (Aron D’Alesio, John Smith, and Noah Fralick) is currently on tour for their third album Interior Light (Paper Bag Records). They describe the new album as “a new start: a springboard for further experimentation and exploration.”

Missouri's Young Buffalo is a duo, in the middle of their tour in support of their self-titled EP. The band previously stopped at 7th Street in February with Blessed Feathers, but will be back with Hey Marseilles
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Thursday, 18 September 2014

October's just around the corner, and you know what that means: CMJ Music Marathon! Again, if you're not familiar with this by now, it stands for College Music Journal. CMJ is generally known for showcasing many of the smaller, unknown bands on the rise.